Newborn Sumatran orangutan welcomed at Denver Zoo
The Denver Zoo is welcoming the arrival of the newborn Sumatran orangutan to mom Elrina. The baby arrived on Sunday and is believed to be a female.
Zookeepers said that mom and baby are thriving in their Great Apes habitat in Primate Panorama where guests may be able to catch a glimpse of the baby. This is Elrina's first baby, however, the father could be either 30-year-old Berani or 15-year-old Jaya. The zoo will conduct a DNA test in the coming weeks to determine who is the father.
Additional Information from the Denver Zoo:
Eirina came to Denver Zoo from Germany's Dortmund Zoo in 2016 and enjoys spending time with the Zoo's other female orangutans, including Hesty (13) and Cerah (5). The Zoo announced her pregnancy in April, and her pregnancy made national news after it shared her Animal Care team's innovative cure for Eirina's morning sickness—the same tea that Animal Care Specialist Cindy Cossaboon drank when she was pregnant with her daughter.
The birth of the baby Sumatran orangutan marks a momentous occasion for both Denver Zoo and the global conservation community. Sumatran orangutans are listed as critically endangered by the International Union for Conservation of Nature (IUCN) with a rapidly declining wild population due to habitat loss, illegal hunting and the black-market pet trade.
The Zoo encourages the community to support world-class care for Eirina, her baby and the rest of the orangutan group by donating to its Orangutan Baby Registry and stay tuned for more updates.
